Page 28 - January 2021 South Florida Hospital News

AROUND THE REGION
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MÜV Opens Its First Boynton Back Cover Story: Brief Review

Beach Dispensary
of the Effects of Recreational

Marijuana Legislation

Continued from page 32
Third, did legalization of recre-
Second, did legalization of recre- ational use of marijuana
ational use of marijuana increase the use of alcohol and
increase the number of depend- other drugs?
ent or addicted users? Marijuana is often cited as a “gateway”
While casual marijuana smoking is of drug meaning that its use leads to the use
concern, much more worrisome is if some of other drugs including heroin at a later
of these individuals become addicted or time. However, this proposition has now
dependent on marijuana or will be diag- been found to be outdated. Evidence
nosed with a Cannabis Use Disorder or shows that the vast majority of marijuana
CUD. Here, even small increases in the users do not go on to use other drugs and
number of CUDs could have major med- the use of marijuana is most often predat-
ical and economic implications. ed by the use of alcohol and smoking.
A review of six major studies looking at Twenty studies were screened for the use
the frequency of CUD produced mixed of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs fol-
results. Just considering a diagnosis of lowing RML. In the case of alcohol and
CUD, one study found a small increase of tobacco, studies again reported mixed
25% in states after RML (or an increase of results but there did not seem to be a
2.28 to 2.72) as compared to states with- marked effect of RML on the use of these
out RML in the age group up to eight two substances with a fair number of stud-
while there was no difference between ies actually indicating a decrease in their
states in adults 18 and older. Another uses. Too little is known about the effect of
study actually found a small decrease. RML on heroin and cocaine use at this
Using emergency room visits and hospital- time.
izations with a diagnosis of CUD or a
billing code with marijuana found a Conclusion
marked increase in emergency room visits This survey concludes that worries
of 739 pre- to 956 post RML and hospital- about RML are unfounded and that
izations from 1,440 pre- to 2,413 post-leg- Recreational Marijuana Legislation might
islation. However, the authors warn that have few if any negative effects on the use
among these patients with marijuana and abuse of marijuana and other sub-
problems was a fair number of children stances and might even provide some ben-
who consumed unsupervised cannabis eficial effects.
laced edibles. Again, another study report-
ed a steady decrease in marijuana related
admissions after RML. Before coming to a Wolfgang H. Vogel, Ph.D., is Professor
conclusion, it has to be recognized that a Emeritus of Pharmacology and former
diagnosis of CUD must not always indi- Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
cate a major health problem since this dis- and may be reached at wuvogel@aol.com.
order can be mild, moderate or severe.
Nevertheless, it again can be concluded
safely that RML did not cause a marked This is an excerpt from a paper written
increase in marijuana dependent individu- by Dr. Vogel which will appear in the
als with indications of an actual fall in the Journal of Drugs Addiction & Therapeutics.
number of this disorder after RML.

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